Tilt board game

ABSTRACT

A tilt board game having a frame, a tiltable playing board pivoted at a single point centrally of one side of the frame, and spring supported on the opposite side, a plurality of barriers on the playing surface for guiding a ball, and a plurality of holes each with point values spaced around the playing board.

write States Patent [191 Kraemer 1 TILT BOARD GAME [76] Inventor: Sandy F. Kraemer, 430 N. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, Colo. 80902 [22] Filed: July 27, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 275,485

[52] US. Cl...- 273/110, 273/113 [51] Int. Cl. A631 7/16 [58] Field of Search... 273/108, 109, 110,113, 115,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,791,428 5/1957 McDonald..., 273/110 3,690,663 9/1972 Boulva 3,539,188 11/1970 Salverda 273/110 [451 Jan. 22, 1974 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 503,457 12/1954 Italy 273/110 1,081,381 6/1954 France 273/110 Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Harry Strappello Attorney, Agent, or FirmRichard D. Law

[57] ABSTRACT A tilt board game having a frame, a tiltable playing board pivoted at a single point centrally of one side of the frame, and spring supported on the opposite side, a plurality of barriers on the playing surface for guiding a ball, and a plurality of holes each with point values spaced around the playing board.

3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 3,787. 055

sum 1 OF 2 PATENTED 3.787, 055

' saw a or 2 TILT BOARD GAME This invention relates to a tilt board game using marbles or other spheres for the play. The board is tiltable by a player who tilts the playing board in an attempt to guide a rolling marble to a hole with the highest point value. A number of baffles on the playing surface indicate the path to be taken by a sphere and the baffles also provide barriers to other paths for the sphere. A plurality of numbered holes are placed generally adjacent the path intended for the sphere, with the least value applied to holes nearest the starting point and the highest values at the holes near the end of the intended travel. In one form, a guide line is formed on the playing board around the holes, indicated the preferred path for the spheres from a starting point to the hole having the highest value.

The playing board, in one embodiment, is rectangular and is centrally pivoted .to a-frame centrally of one side. The opposite side of the game board is rested on a compression spring mounted centrally of that side,

whereby the spring mounted side may be depressed. Levers or handles mounted at the corners of the game board on the spring mounted side provide manipulating means for tilting the table. The table side may be tilted as a whole (depressing both levers at the same time) or tilting a single corner by depressing a single lever. Thus the game is intended as a two handed game for a player, with one hand manipulating one lever and the other hand manipulating the other lever.

It is, therefore, among the objects and advantages of the present invention to provide a tilt board game of simple construction but which requires considerable skill in manipulating a rolling sphere on its playingsurface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tilt board game having a board which tilts in at least two modes.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a tilt board game using a rolling sphere as a playing piece, and a plurality of point counting holes for determining the skill of the player.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tilt board game in which the board is laterally pivoted from a fixed pivot centrally of one side and is spring balanced on the opposite side for permitting at least two modes of tilt of the board. I

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readily as certained by referring to the following description and appended illustrations in which:

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the board of FIG. 6 illustrating the same mode of tilting of the playing board;

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view, partly cut away, of a tilt board game, according to the invention, illustrating a second mode of action of a tilt board; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view, partly cut away, of the device of FIG. 8 illustrating the same mode of tilt of the playing board.

In the device selected for illustration, a generally square playing board is used. The boards shape, however, may be made of any desired shape including square, rectangular, oblong, round,'or the like. The same general structural features are the same for any shape. Further, the play of a game for any shape is generally the same.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a box-like frame, shown in general by numeral 10, includes four sides 12, 14, 16 and 18, with an open top. In one form, a short boss 20 (FIG. 2) supports a relatively large diameter compression spring 22. A pair of depending pressure pads 24 and 25 depend from the corners of the frame under playing handles or levers 27 and 28 to prevent tipping of the frame when the levers are depressed. A playing or game board 30 having a peripheral rim 31 is pivotally mounted to the wall 18 by a single pivot 33 (FIG. 5) which is mounted generally centrally of the back side of the peripheral wall of the playing board 30. The playing board is supported on the compression spring 22 at its oppsoite side, and the manipulating handles, of course, are atached to the corners of the game board and extend through openings 27a and 28a respectively in the frame 10. The openings 27a, 28a are shown as vertical slots which limit the verticaland horizontal movements of the handles 27 28 and the front edge of the game board 30. The board is mounted so as to be tilted toward the pivot side in its non-depressed condition. A free ball on the non-tilted surface rolls toward the pivot wall.

The drawings illustrate one embodiment using a single large compression spring mounted centrally of the playing board, however, a compression spring may be used in each corner adjacent the manipulating handles 27 and 28 instead of the large central compression spring. Also, three springs might-be used in place of the single central spring, in which case the spring would be positioned adjacent the corners and one in the center in approximately the position of the spring 22. The spring loaded side opposite the pivot side provides at least two modes of tilting of the playing board. These FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention showing the tilt game board mounted in a box-like frame;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view, partly schematic and partly cut away, illustrating one mode of tilting of the playing board;

two modes are: the tiltingof one corner at a time, and the tilting of both corners at the same time so that the whole side is tilted downwardly or depressed from the pivot. Various intermediate attitudes of the board may be provided by differential depression of one or both of the levers.

' The playing board 30 is generally planar and is provided with a plurality of holes 25, 26, 27, etc., around the playing surface spaced from each other. A plurality of upright, stub b affles 40, 41,- 42, etc. are, likewise placed around the playing board to guide the ball on the playing surface. A line 45 is provided for illustrating the desired path of a ball from start to finish. Maintaining a ball on the path prevents it from falling into the holes near the starting point. It is to be understood that the holes are given a point value, with the holes closest to the starting point with the lower values and the holes toward the finish having the largest value.

The starting point is defined by a pair of parallel baffles 47 and 48 holding a ball 50 therein when the board is not tilted. In its starting position the board is tilted slightly towards the pivot so that a ball 50 will rest in the starting gate. The ball may be made to leave the starting gate by depressing one or both of the levers 27 and 28 which tilts the board downwardly from the pivot permitting the ball to roll out of the starting gate.

The play of the game is commenced by placing a ball 50 in the starting gate between the baffles 47 and 48. The object of the game is to try to make the ball follow the path from the starting gate to the hole at the finish of the guide line 45, the last hole being designated 60 in FIG. 2. The baffles are arranged between the holes so that a ball will fall in a hole rather than pass from the intended course into another stretch of the desired path. Thus, a ball 50, FIG. 2, must follow the path 45 or fall into hole 35 which would be designated the lowest point value (a hole along the path). Likewise, baffles 40 and 41 are placed a distance apart so that the ball 50 can fall in hole 36, in the event the ball attempts to pass between the baffles 40 and 41 into the next stretch of desired path on the other side of the baffles 40 and 42. In a similar manner, other baffles are placed between other holes, but the desired path 45 is arranged to go around the holes. Thus a ball traveling on the intended path winds up in the last hole without falling into the lower point value holes. A player must have considerable skill to manipulate the board to make the ball follow the guide course.

For a game, as shown in FIG. 2, the holes may be numbered from 1 through 20, and the number will be the point value of the hole. In one type of game, a player starts with five balls, playing the balls successively in an attempt to get them to the hole 60 (which would be marked with a point value of 20). In one form ofthe game, the balls would be left in the holes until the last one is played, which would give the player an opportunity to increase his score since the filled holes would not permit a ball to fall into the hole.

Th size of hole in relation to the ball will depend upon the type of game which is desired. For a convered top game, similar to a pin ball machine, the holes may be large enough to pass the ball, so that a player would successively play 5 balls, which could fall through any hole. Electric marking could provide scoring for the balls passing the holes. In another form, the balls may be slightly larger than the hole so that they do not fall through the playing board and a player may use all five balls at the same turn of play.

One mode of tilting of the board is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 where pressure applied to the lever 28 depresses that corner, while the corner with the lever 27 remains in upright position. In this corner mode of tilting, either of the levers may be depressed partly or fully to tilt the table toward that corner. In another mode, both of the levers 27 and 28 may be pressed simultaneously, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, to tilt the table edge forwardly of the pivot. Various intermediate tilting modes may be pro vided, where both of the levers are depressed but at different pressures to provide different tilting attitutes or modes of the playing surface. Movement of the sphere on the playing board is by tilting the board by means of the handles or by permitting the board to resume its initial position slightly tilted toward the pivot (causing the sphere to roll toward the starting wall).

The device may be made in any desired size. For most sizes, the pressure or stabilizing pads 24 and 25 prevent undue movement of the frame when one or both handles are depressed. Aggressive play may cause a player to 'depress the handles vigorously, and the stabilizers prevent overturning the board or improperly moving the unit.

I claim:

1. A tilt board game for use with a sphere comprising:

a. frame means including a front wall and rear wall,

b. game board means having front and rear edges and a flat planar upper surface including a peripheral wall for retaining a sphere rolling on said surface, said game board means being mounted to said rear wall by a pivotal attachment means centrally positioned at said rear edge,

c. spring means tiltably supporting said game board means in said frame means at said front edge whereby said game board means may be tilted simultaneously about a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis extending through said pivotal attachment means, said spring means being a single compression spring having a generally large diameter centrally positioned near said front edge for biasing said game board means when in operation in a generally horizontal position slightly tilted toward said rear edge,

d. handle means attached to and extending outwardly from said front edge of said game board means through at least one vertical, elongated opening in said frame front wall whereby said game board means may be moved against said spring means for limited tilting around said two axes,

e. a plurality of baffles arranged on the surface of said game board means to provide a circuitous path for travel of the sphere rolling thereon, and

f. a plurality of bores provided in said surface to accept said sphere, said bores being arranged and spaced adjacent said circuitous path to trap and impede the travel of the sphere to test the skill of a player manipulating said handle means.

2. A tilt board game as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame means includes stabilizing pad means extending outwardly from the bottom edge of said frame front wall and arranged below said handle means to prevent undue movement of said frame means upon depressing said handle means.

3. A tilt board game as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle means comprises at least two handles spaced from each other along the front edge of said game board means for tilting said game board means around said two axes.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE (ZERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION 5 Dated January 22, 1974 Inventgr s Sandy F... Kraemer It is certified that error appears in the aboveidentified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 58, ""25 26, 27" should be --35, 36 37-- Column 3, line 44, "convered'" shuuld be --covered-.

si ned and sealed this 23rd day of April 197E.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD I 'IJ LETGI-IERJR. C, MARSHALL DANN" Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM (10459) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 UYS. GOVERNMENT PRINTING UFFlCEJ I969 D355-334 

1. A tilt board game for use with a sphere comprising: a. frame means including a front wall and rear wall, b. game board means having front and rear edges and a flat planar upper surface including a peripheral wall for retaining a sphere rolling on said surface, said game board means being mounted to said rear wall by a pivotal attachment means centrally positioned at said rear edge, c. spring means tiltably supporting said game board means in said frame means at said front edge whereby said game board means may be tilted Simultaneously about a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis extending through said pivotal attachment means, said spring means being a single compression spring having a generally large diameter centrally positioned near said front edge for biasing said game board means when in operation in a generally horizontal position slightly tilted toward said rear edge, d. handle means attached to and extending outwardly from said front edge of said game board means through at least one vertical, elongated opening in said frame front wall whereby said game board means may be moved against said spring means for limited tilting around said two axes, e. a plurality of baffles arranged on the surface of said game board means to provide a circuitous path for travel of the sphere rolling thereon, and f. a plurality of bores provided in said surface to accept said sphere, said bores being arranged and spaced adjacent said circuitous path to trap and impede the travel of the sphere to test the skill of a player manipulating said handle means.
 2. A tilt board game as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame means includes stabilizing pad means extending outwardly from the bottom edge of said frame front wall and arranged below said handle means to prevent undue movement of said frame means upon depressing said handle means.
 3. A tilt board game as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle means comprises at least two handles spaced from each other along the front edge of said game board means for tilting said game board means around said two axes. 